Support for drying paste products



April 6, 1948. s. VIVIANO SUPPORT FOR DRYING PASTE PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 2, 1944 INVENTOR.

SALVATORE VIVIANO W17 4ATTORN Patented Apr. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,439,115 SUPPORT FOR DRYING PASTE PRODUCTS Salvatore Viviano, Richmond Heights, Mo.

Application September 2, 1944, ,Serial No. 552,552

This invention relates to improvements in supports for drying paste products and more particularly to elongate rod-like members of improved design such as utilized, for example, in

the drying of macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli, and

similar elongate extruded products of paste-like consistency, although susceptible of use, with great advantage in the drying of various elongate, stranded or strip materials.

In the manufacture of alimentary paste prod-' ucts, the material is extruded in substantial lengths varying, in standard practice, from 20" to 36" in length. These strands are prevalently draped over sticks of wood for drying, such sticks being conventionally of the order of 50" to 54" in length. Due to irregular wood grain and the desirable absorption of some moisture from the product by the stick, considerable trouble and great expense is incurred by reason of warping, swelling and various deformation of the sticks. Since it is highly desirable that the strands of drying product remain separated, it is obvious that warping effects will, if at all severe, detract from the usefulness of the sticks, necessitating their frequent renewal. Because of the substantial number of sticks employed even in smaller plants, the replacement expense thereof constitutes a substantial proportion of total manufacturing costs. Further, a badly warped stick results in a serious direct loss of product, amount-' ing to four to eight ounces of material per batch; as well as the incident time loss. This is due to uneven and short lengths, not commercially saleable, incident to automatic trimming, since the sticks of product must be of uniform length for packaging. Heretofore also, prevalent circular drying sticks were required to be of much larger diameter than strictly necessary, in order to result in any useful life. By present improvements resulting in a stick body of smaller diameter, smaller heads are formed on the product, enabling a marked reduction in package sizes per unit of weight. The novel smaller diameter sticks further valuably increase the drying capacity of a given drying space and number of racks, since many more of the loaded sticks may be supported on a drying rack of given dimensions. It is accordingly a major and general objective of the present invention so to improve drying sticks for the purposes noted that they will resist for tice, the several advantages noted.

3 Claims. (Cl. 34249) Additional and important objects are attained in an improved, substantially permanent, lightweight, absorbent drying stick for the support of extruded moist products.

A still further important object of the invention is attained in novel provisions for reinforcing drying sticks against bending stresses, due either to warping effects, or the combination thereof with effects of loading.

Yet another object of the invention which is of great importance in saving of operator time, and in betterment of product, consists in the provision of an improved arrangement forsemiautomatically spacing and singling the strands or strings of extruded productswhich are draped over the stick for drying. 1 A further and somewhat general object is attained in a realization of the desiderata above The foregoing and numerous other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of certain selected embodiments of the invention, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a drying rod or stick in a preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a transverse. sectional view as taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a fragmentary portion of a stick such as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, but illustrating its usage in effecting a separation of the strands or lengthsof the product undergoing drying;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the fragmentary portion of a somewhat modified form of drying stick;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a still further modification, and

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a fragmentary portion of an additional modification of laminated wood construction, certain parts being broken away for better illustration of the relation of the laminae toeach other.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, it may be noted that although any suitable material of desirable rigidity and moisture-absorbent properties may be selected for the construction of the stick, it is greatly preferred to utilize a long-grain wood, in which the grain is as uniform as possible through the length of the unit, for example and'as a preference in a one-piece stick, selected long grain kiln-dried ash; the term wood is however not to be understood as restrictive to wood materials in their natural or usual state; it is intended for example, that laminated products such as plywood, veneer or the like, as well as transmuted wood and synthetic products, may be employed provided only that they possess the noted requisite physical characteristics.

The stick is characterized by a partly cylindrical, full length body,'being the rod portion proper and indicated at it. This is incompletely circular in transverse section as will appear from Fig. 2, and is somewhat flattened underneath each of its end portions, as shown at l I. These flattened supporting seats aregmderinormail conditions of usage, in engagement with horizontal end supports S, each pair of which serves 'to support a considerable number of the sticks 1.0, as in conventional drying racks, frames or the like, whether used in .air drying .oroven drying installations.

The intermediate portion of the stick according to Figs. 1 and 2, is characterized by a depending integral rib I2 of generally rectangular cross section, the rib 42 being .of a .taperingly reduced section .at each of its ends, as it approaches the flattened seats I]; it .is a preterence, however, that the ends of the rib taper away completely, somewhat short of the end zones, whereby to provide at each end of the stick, a zone 43 of substantially circular section convenient for gripping the stick in carrying same from place to place incident .to succeeding drying operatime. It will be noted that the provision of the flattened seats ll determines, with the planar supporting surfaces of the angle. members S, a normal angular'position of the stick -in which the rib projects dependingly, or downwardly as indicated by Fig. :2.

It should be noted as of importance so to form the rib I2 that its thickness or sectional width is, as clearly appears from Fig. 2, appreciably less than the diameter of the part-circular portion iii of the stick. Thus it is seen that with the strands of paste P draped over the stick in normal position, the parallel vertical planes of pendency of the strands P lie laterally beyond the rib side walls, in fact beyond any part of the reinforcing rib It, thus precluding normal or casual contact of the strands of paste P with any other than the smoothly rounded upper area of the body portion 1 0.

An optional but valuable provision for readily effecting an isolation or separation of the individual strands P, being the lengths of product undergoing drying, best appears in Fig. 3. As the strands are extruded and brought to lie ower the stick, it frequently happens that in case the stick is tilted or for other reasons, the individual strands of product tend to bunch together, and since they inherently :possess considerable ad- .hesive properties, it is difiicult to separate them without deformation or loss of some of the strands. It has been found by repeated experii .ments that the rib l2 may :be provided transstranding effect or separation of individual lengths, the stick is again rotated 180 degrees to its initial or normal drying position, the strands then remaining individualized or spaced as determined by the spacing of the notches M. It will of course be distinctly understoodthat the warp-resisting features and load reinforcement provided by the rib [2 are still realized, irrespective of the strand separation feature hereinabove described, even though the under surface .of rib 42 be allowed to remain smooth, without notching.

The essential features of the present improvements may be embodied in va variety of structures, .but a few of which are illustrated, and will now be described :solely by way of examples of structural variants, but without intending by any means to exhaust such possibilities. In Fig. 4 for example, the rounded body of the stick is indicated at 20. In this arrangement a depending .rib 2| underlies the partly circular body 20 and is of edge-apexed form, the apex of which is indicated at 22.. In order still further to resist warping eifects and enhance the capacity of the stick to be loaded without deformation, the rib overlain by a metal angle 23, the internal angle of which fits closely over and conforms to the shaping of the rib =24. Securement of the metal "angle to the ,rib of :the stick .is effected as by screws, nails or the like 24, and if desired, the

angle member '23 may be provided with notches iii-and intervening land portions 26, corresponding in general purpose to the similar features of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modification of Fig. 5, the structure of the stick .and rib may be substantially the same as that of Figs. 1 and .2 but with certain additions. This form is characterized by a main body or rod portion 30 partly circular in transverse section, a normally depending, reinforcing rib 3| which in dimensions and arrangement may correspond, if desired, exactly with rib I2, being optionally provided with notches 32 and intervening lands 33. In this structure the stick is longitudinally saw-cut substantially intermediately of the lower face of rib 3|, thence inwardly of the stick preferably-a zone along the axis of the part circular portion, as shown. This saw-cut occupied by a correspondingly dimensioned metal reinforcing strip 34. This strip may.

desired, for reduction of weight and non-rusting properties, be formed of an aluminum or magnesium-aluminum alloy for example. It will be noted that in the normal loaded and drying "position of the stick, the reinforcing strip 34 is loaded edgewise, or otherwise expressed, so that it occupies a position .close to and along a longitudina'l vertical plane radially of the rounded body 341. This arrangement results in a'practically permanent "drying rod of .a type which is susceptible of almost indefinite use. If and as desired, the metal reinforcing :strip 34 may be secured in assemblywithin the stick through the use of a series of transverse rivets or other suitable fastening members, one of the rivets being indicated at 35.

A still further but highly desirable modification is illustrated by Fig. 6, wherein a series of layers or laminations of veneer are utilized to build up the body of the ribbed stick. In this arrangement the successive laminations, proceeding crosswise of the stick, are indicated at 49, 4|, 42, 43, 44 and 45. The laminations are suitably bonded as by a thermo-plastic resin, and an initial composite strip of such materials laid up in arallel fashion, preferably with the grain of adjacent plies or laminations staggered as shown by Fig. 6. Polymerization or other process of resinification may, for example, be carried out under heat and pressure, and by well known methods.

It will be realized that the great strength and resistance to bending stresses characterizing thermo-plastic bonded laminations, will serve adequately to attain a semi-permanent or permanent stick for the purpose noted. Several advantages obtain in this form of structure, among the more important of which may be noted the arrangement of laminations edgewise to the load, as above noted in reference to the metal strip 34 of Fig. 5. Further, it will be seen that this arrangement serves to present the edge portions of at least several of the laminations, to the load-bearing area of the rod or stick. This formation of the rounded load-carrying surface serves greatly to enhance its moisture-absorbent properties, with great advantage.

It will be noted that in all of the forms shown, there has been carefully avoided any form or formation of stick such as would present any sharp corners, edges, or apices in the drying surface of the stick; it may also be noted that each of the rounded drying surfaces of the various forms illustrated, is characterized by substantial moisture absorbent properties.

The particular forms of support for the plurality of drying sticks are conventional and need not be herein described in detail; similarly, the manner of usage of wood drying sticks in the manufacture of macaroni, spaghetti and like products, is well known to those skilled in the art, hence need not be here further outlined. The purpose and manner of utilization of the special provision of the notches for spreading and singling the strands of the product P, have been heretofore described.

It will now have appeared that the device in any of the several forms referred to, will serve fully to attain each and all of the objectives hereinabove specifically mentioned, and numerous others implied from the more detailed description. Although the invention has been described by detailed reference to a certain few exemplary embodiments, this detail of description is to be understood in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense, numerous variants in structure being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stick for the drying support of lengths of alimentary paste products and the like, consisting of a primary, partly cylindrical portion, a rib normally below the cylindrical portion and supporting seats near the ends of the stick, so formed as to tend to keep the cylindrical portion uppermost when the stick is loaded for drying, the rib being provided with a longitudinal slot upwardly and depthwise of the rib, and a hat reinforcing strip of non-rusting characteristics occupying the slot, and disposed edgewise to the direction of loading of the stick, and pin elements extended transverselythrough the rib and strip for assembly thereof.

' 2. A stick formed of wood of appreciable absorptive capacity, and for use as a horizontal support in drying moist strands of alimentary paste products, the stick consisting of a substantially complete cylindrical body normally uppermost of the stick when in drying position, and a rib depending medially of the cylindrical portion and integral therewith, all parts of the rib being of lesser width than the diameter of the cylindrical portion, the rib tapering in depth toward the cylindrical body, at a distance inwardly of each end of the stick, whereby there is provided an unobstructed, substantially cylindrical portion a distance inwardly of each end of the stick to facilitate manual lifting and transportation of the stick and its load, the extreme end portions of the stick beyond said manual lifting portions, having flattened lower surfaces toresist rocking of the stick when its ends are supported upon substantially planar rests.

3. A stick formed of an absorbent material, for use as a horizontal support in drying strands of alimentary paste products or the like, the stick being formed as an elongate, substantially cylindrical body, modified by the addition of an integral, longitudinal, normally depending reinforcing rib, that portion above the rib exteriorly presenting the major portion of the surface of a full cylinder, and the rib extending medially below the cylindrical body and having a maximum Width or transverse dimension somewhat less than the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the stick, whereby, when flexible moist strands of the drying product are draped across the stick, the rib is substantially spaced from the strands at each side thereof, the rib being further characterized by a series of notches relatively closely spaced, and extending transversely across thelower rib portion, whereby to enable rotation of the stick substantially a half turn about its axis, to provide for interengagement of the strands by the notches, the notches being thus adapted for spacing the strands during transportation of the stick and its load.

SALVATORE VIVIANO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 168,948 Weinig Oct. 19, 1875 550,488 Dufiord Nov. 26, 1895 640,170 Barlow Jan. 2, 1900 708,874 Dubois Sept. 9, 1902 1,042,808 Macmanus Oct. 29, 1912 1,473,842 Frederick Nov. 13, 1923 1,499,134 Waldron June 24, 1924 1,534,500 Braemer et a1. Apr. 21, 1925 1,997,696 Parkes Apr. 16, 1935 2,076,836 Goldblatt Apr. 13, 1937 2,159,955 Scales May 23, 1939 2,288,080 Forman June 30, 1942 2,380,953 Dubassoff Aug. 7, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,223 Great Britain 1896 33,915 Netherlands Sept. 16, 1934 

